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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: fan · racket · vault · prune · pitcher · safe · lie · spring

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — the season
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spring — of water
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — to recline
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — a supporter

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