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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 120 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: lean · bass · vault · bay · deal · spell · fan · tube

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. vault — a safe
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. spell — magic
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lean — thin
  20. tube — a container
  21. spell — letters
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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