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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: content · pitcher · fall · rush · mug · fan · roll · vault

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mug — a cup
  7. vault — a safe
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. content — happy
  13. rush — hurry
  14. content — the amount
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fall — the season
  17. roll — a list
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fan — a supporter

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