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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: suit · patient · bowl · can · current · vault · bound · shower

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bound — certain
  5. current — of water
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — in cards
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — clothes
  12. can — a tin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. vault — a safe
  16. can — a tin
  17. current — electric
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bound — obliged
  22. shower — rain
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bound — tied together

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