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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: vault · snap · stem · can · bound · face · key · patient

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. face — part of the head
  5. key — for a lock
  6. can — to be able to
  7. vault — a safe
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stem — to come from
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — the most important part
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. key — in music
  20. snap — to click
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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