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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.

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 · bat · rush · hide · dip · chair · bear · fan

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. dip — to sink
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rush — hurry
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bat — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rush — to hurry

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