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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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Word bank
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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: rock · vault · bulb · fine · clip · face · wave · patient

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. face — to confront
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. clip — a video
  14. face — part of the head
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — all right
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rock — to move gently

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