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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: date · wave · spring · firm · net · vault · cell · mug

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cell — in biology
  3. net — for catching
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. firm — steady
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mug — a face
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. spring — a coil
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. net — after costs
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. firm — a company
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mug — a cup
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — to rob
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — a phone
  24. firm — decided

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