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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: mine · mug · spring · pit · saw · vault · bear · current

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. current — happening now
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pit — in a race
  6. spring — a coil
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — of water
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — electric
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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