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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · foot · suit · pit · spring · fine · rock

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. spring — a coil
  4. fine — high quality
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. spring — the season
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spring — of water
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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