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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: fine · hide · patient · vault · file · club · face · dip

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — all right
  4. dip — to sink
  5. club — for dancing
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. file — a line of people
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. face — to point toward
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. club — for golf
  21. file — a tool
  22. fine — high quality
  23. file — a document
  24. dip — a sauce

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