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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 116 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: hand · vault · season · pass · bear · fan · bulb · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. season — in sport
  4. hand — help
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — in cards

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