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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 · bear · racket · jam · track · bay · rush · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rush — hurry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a hole
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bear — the animal

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