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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mine — for digging
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cue — for pool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cue — a signal
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — a hint
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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