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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.

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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
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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: swing · fan · lean · rash · can · vault · mine · patient

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. can — a tin
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rash — a series
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lean — thin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rash — hasty
  19. swing — music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mine — for digging

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