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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: fan · deal · rash · vault · stick · suit · prune · land

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. suit — clothes
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — a safe
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rash — a series
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. prune — to trim
  14. land — ground
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rash — on the skin

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