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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.

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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: firm · net · bank · fan · pitch · vault · date · lean

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bank — for money
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitch — completely
  6. net — after costs
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. net — for catching
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. net — in sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. date — the fruit
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lean — thin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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