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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: object · vault · foot · rock · chest · fan · snap · can

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. chest — of your body
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — to protest
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. object — an aim
  14. chest — of your body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. chest — a box
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. snap — to click

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