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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: pitch · board · present · vault · firm · bear

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. present — the time now
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. vault — a safe
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitch — completely
  11. board — a committee
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. bear — the animal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — to get on

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