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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 · wave · firm · patient · fan · cue · perch · date

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cue — for pool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cue — a signal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. firm — a company
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. date — the fruit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. patient — a sick person

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