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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 · fan · object · current · foot · spring · kick · squash

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — of water
  7. spring — of water
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spring — the season
  10. squash — the sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. current — electric
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. squash — to crush
  17. object — a thing
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — to protest
  20. current — happening now
  21. object — an aim
  22. vault — a safe
  23. kick — in football
  24. squash — the vegetable

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