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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: kick · hide · lash · firm · mark · vault · spring · patient

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — a company
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. kick — in football
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. spring — the season
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. firm — steady
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. firm — decided
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — a grade
  22. spring — a coil
  23. vault — a safe
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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