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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · patient · game · vault · staff · lash · hand · arm

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. game — a match
  5. staff — a stick
  6. hand — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hand — help
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. staff — employees
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. game — wild animals
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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