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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: bore · vault · rash · safe · spell · content · patient · club

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bore — to tire
  3. spell — letters
  4. club — for golf
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. club — a group
  7. spell — a short time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — a series
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. club — for dancing
  20. content — the amount
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — magic
  24. content — happy

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