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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.

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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: spell · mouse · staff · vault · patient · chest · kick · pitch

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — a stick
  9. chest — a box
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — letters
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. spell — magic
  18. pitch — completely
  19. chest — of your body
  20. spell — a short time
  21. staff — employees
  22. chest — of your body
  23. kick — in football
  24. mouse — for a computer

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