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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: file · roll · patient · jam · vault · land · firm · bay

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. firm — steady
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. land — a country
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. file — a document
  10. roll — a list
  11. file — a line of people
  12. vault — a safe
  13. firm — decided
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. firm — a company
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. land — to come down
  19. roll — a cake
  20. file — a tool
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. land — ground
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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