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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: fork · vault · cap · pit · leaves · fan · deal · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spring — of water
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pit — in a race
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fork — in a road
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pit — a hole
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. vault — a safe

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