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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: nail · ball · vault · patient · date · mouse · suit · spell

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — magic
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spell — a short time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. spell — letters
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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