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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: suit · cabinet · vault · wax · rush · mate · net · fan

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. net — for catching
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — in sport
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — after costs
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — a thrill

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