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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 120 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: vault · object · net · pit · charge · present · mark · saw

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mark — a trace
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — the tool
  7. object — to protest
  8. net — after costs
  9. vault — a safe
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pit — a hole
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. present — the time now
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — there
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. pit — in a race
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — in sport

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