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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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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: pit · key · degree · season · vault · swing · bank · suit

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — in sport
  3. pit — a hole
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pit — in a race
  11. swing — in golf
  12. suit — to fit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. vault — a safe
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — in music

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