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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: straw · mark · vault · date · patient · rock · pitch · club

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a trace
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. club — for golf
  22. rock — music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mark — to pay attention

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