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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 120 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: pitch · dip · suit · vault · racket · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — humankind
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. dip — to sink
  17. vault — a safe
  18. race — a contest

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