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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: board · fan · calf · bulb · cue · vault · wake · field

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. field — farmland
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wake — a trail
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. field — for sport
  15. board — to get on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cue — a signal
  19. board — a committee
  20. field — a subject
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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