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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: vault · pitcher · spell · pit · can · ground

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ground — the earth
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ground — a position
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. spell — letters
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. can — a tin
  17. spell — magic
  18. can — a tin

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