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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 116 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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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: rock · racket · cabinet · mug · spring · vault · bank · season

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spring — the season
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rock — music
  19. spring — of water
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. season — of the year
  23. bank — for money
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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