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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.

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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 · patient · wind · press · calf · ball · lash · vault

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. press — newspapers
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. press — to push
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wind — moving air
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ball — a great time

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