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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
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: fan · vault · root · mine · can · mouse · spell · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — a short time
  3. vault — a safe
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. can — to be able to
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — letters
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — magic
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — for digging

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