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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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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: rock · fan · suit · vault · saw · court · ground · bulb

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. court — of a king
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — for sport
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — a position
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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