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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: vault · chest · pass · lash · bay · stock · roll · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pitch — completely
  6. chest — of your body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chest — a box
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stock — shares
  20. roll — a list
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stock — goods

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