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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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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cold — not warm
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cold — an illness
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. suit — in cards
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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