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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: hand · firm · pitcher · vault · season · suit · racket · tear

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — a safe
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. tear — to rip
  6. hand — help
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — in cards
  9. firm — a company
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — steady
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hand — in cards
  23. season — in sport
  24. hand — part of the body

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