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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: bowl · vault · content · march · fall · date · mate · mug

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fall — the season
  3. vault — a safe
  4. content — happy
  5. mug — a cup
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — a partner
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fall — to drop
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. date — the fruit
  17. march — music
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — a face
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mate — to breed

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