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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 116 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: mug · leaves · rock · stand · prune · spring · land · vault

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. land — to come down
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spring — the season
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. land — ground
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spring — of water
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stand — to bear
  18. spring — a coil
  19. prune — to trim
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. land — a country
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — 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