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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: object · shower · patient · vault · tube · bound · temple · pop

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — music
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. tube — a container
  8. bound — tied together
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — to protest
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. shower — rain
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bound — certain
  20. vault — a safe
  21. object — an aim
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. shower — to wash

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