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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 120 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 · nail · rush · bear · swing · kick · patient · bank

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. swing — to play on
  12. vault — a safe
  13. swing — in golf
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. swing — music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — of a river
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bank — for money

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