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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 120 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: bat · mug · kid · vault · content · suit · current · pit

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. kid — child
  3. pit — a hole
  4. content — happy
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pit — in a race
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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