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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · toast · pass · land · fork · patient · foot · firm

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — a permit
  7. land — to come down
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — a country
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. land — ground
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com