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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: present · fan · patient · vault · ball · bark · current · land

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. vault — a safe
  5. land — a country
  6. current — electric
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a great time
  12. current — happening now
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. current — of water
  18. present — there
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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