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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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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: spell · cell · vault · calf · mark · cue · patient · race

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cell — in biology
  8. spell — letters
  9. mark — a grade
  10. race — humankind
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. race — a contest
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spell — a short time
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — a hint
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. calf — of the leg

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