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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 · season · current · bear · cell · stand · cue · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cue — a signal
  3. current — of water
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — to bear
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — clothes
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — electric
  20. cell — a phone
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cell — in biology
  23. current — happening now
  24. stand — on your feet

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