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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. spell — magic
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. craft — boats
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. craft — a skill
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — letters
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. face — to confront
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — a safe
  24. safe — a strongbox

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