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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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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tear — to rip
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tear — from crying
  7. hand — in cards
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mug — a cup
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mug — a face
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mug — to rob
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. calf — a young animal

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