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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 116 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.

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 · vault · bowl · spell · present · mate · ball · pass

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. mate — to breed
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. present — a gift
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spell — letters
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spell — magic
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mate — a partner

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