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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: fork · suit · bass · lash · fan · hand · vault · sharp

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fork — in a road
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. sharp — clever
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bass — low music
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. suit — to fit

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