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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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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: bore · vault · firm · rule · pitch · stand

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. 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 sports field
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rule — a law
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rule — government
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bore — to tire
  18. 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