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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: cell · vault · bowl · pit · cabinet · pop

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pop — soda
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pop — music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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