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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: bay · vault · pitch · wind · file · pass

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. file — a document
  18. pitch — a sales talk

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