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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: wave · wind · suit · cell · pitch · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. pitch — completely
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wind — moving air

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