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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: cell · mug · mate · shower · ruler · vault · spring · rush

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mate — a friend
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cell — in biology
  7. spring — of water
  8. mug — a cup
  9. vault — a safe
  10. shower — rain
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spring — the season

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