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

Word bank: cell · mate · roll · present · rock · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. roll — a list
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mate — a partner
  5. present — there
  6. mate — a friend
  7. present — the time now
  8. rock — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. rock — a stone
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. roll — a cake

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