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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: vault · cell · pitch · arm · pound · ruler

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cell — in biology
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — a sports field

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