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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: spring · net · firm · tube · mark · vault · prune · fine

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. spring — of water
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — the underground
  8. firm — decided
  9. mark — a grade
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. tube — a container
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. firm — steady
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. firm — a company
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spring — a coil
  24. prune — to trim

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