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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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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 · dip · object · pit · spring · hide · cell · mark

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pit — in a race
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — a safe
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. object — to protest
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. object — a thing
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cell — in a prison

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