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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. roll — a list
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. swing — music
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. drill — army training
  14. tear — to rip
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. drill — a practice

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