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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: present · spring · cold · cabinet · pit · vault · object · mouse

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. spring — a coil
  6. present — a gift
  7. object — a thing
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. object — to protest
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. cold — not warm

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