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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · vault · mine · court · firm · leaves · patient · row

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. row — to paddle
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. row — a line
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. court — of law
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fine — all right
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mine — for digging
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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