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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: pitch · foot · safe · shower · patient · vault · staff · court

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. court — for sport
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pitch — completely
  7. staff — employees
  8. court — of law
  9. staff — a stick
  10. foot — a measure
  11. staff — employees
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. shower — to wash
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. court — of a king
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. vault — a safe

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