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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 120 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: patient · bound · pop · vault · staff · net · kick · drill

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. drill — army training
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — after costs
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. staff — a stick
  11. drill — a practice
  12. vault — a safe
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — certain
  15. net — in sport
  16. pop — music
  17. net — for catching
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pop — to visit
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pop — soda
  23. staff — employees
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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