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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bass · arm · fall · fan · pitcher · suit · key · vault

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — low music
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. key — for a lock
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bass — the fish
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fall — the season
  24. pitcher — a jug

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