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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · arm · bulb · cabinet · lash · wound · can · bass

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bass — the fish
  11. can — a tin
  12. bass — low music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cabinet — ministers

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