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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bat — the animal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spring — the season
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mouse — the animal

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