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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: pit · bound · pitcher · kick · fan · land · dip · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. land — ground
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — in football
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. land — to come down
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. dip — to sink
  15. land — a country
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bound — certain

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