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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: calf · stem · fall · patient · ruler · rash · vault · pound

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rash — a series
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stem — to come from
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fall — to drop
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rash — hasty

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