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

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bank — of a river
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to sink
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bank — for money
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bound — certain
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fine — high quality
  24. toast — bread

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