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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 116 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: fall · vault · mouse · can · calf · land · net · patient

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. land — a country
  3. fall — to drop
  4. land — ground
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — to come down
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. net — for catching
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fall — the season
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. net — in sport

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