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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: vault · safe · spring · squash · suit · leaves · pit · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — the season
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. spring — of water
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pit — in a race
  13. spring — a coil
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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