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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.

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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: patient · lie · coach · wake · bay · ground · charge · vault

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ground — a position
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — in control
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — a price
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — electricity
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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