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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: cell · patient · mate · stand · nail · vault · tear · mug

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cell — a phone
  6. tear — to rip
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mate — a friend
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cell — in biology
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mate — to breed

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