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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: bulb · cue · vault · patient · rock · date · stand · fine

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cue — for pool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rock — a stone
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — all right
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. cue — a hint

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