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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: vault · lie · patient · charge · straw · row · wound · key

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. charge — a price
  8. key — in music
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. charge — in control
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lie — to recline
  22. charge — electricity
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. key — for a lock

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