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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
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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: wave · straw · hide · vault · spell · net · bay · fan

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. net — in sport
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. net — for catching
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. spell — magic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. net — after costs
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. straw — a straw man

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