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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
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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: fan · mug · hide · band · calf · rush · land · vault

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rush — hurry
  3. band — a music group
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. band — a ring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mug — a face
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. land — a country
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — to keep secret

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