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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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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: pit · shower · racket · bay · vault · pitch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. 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. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pitch — completely
  11. shower — to wash
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. shower — rain
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pit — a hole
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. 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