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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · nail · tube · game · rock · rash · patient · vault

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — a line
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. tube — the underground
  14. game — a match
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — a stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rock — music
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. game — a kind of play

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