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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · vault · patient · bank · face · pass · game · mouse

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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. game — a match
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. face — part of the head
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. spring — a coil
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bank — of a river
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spring — the season
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — to point toward
  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