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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.

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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: patient · race · safe · swing · fork · chair · vault · stem

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. fork — in a road
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. swing — music
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stem — to come from
  14. race — a contest
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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