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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · patient · vault · track · rush · pit · face · bear

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — a safe
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mug — to rob
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. face — to confront
  15. mug — a face
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rush — hurry
  21. track — a path
  22. pit — in a race
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. track — a song

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