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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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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: vault · file · key · pitch · racket · prune · bass · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bass — low music
  4. file — a line of people
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. vault — a safe
  10. file — a document
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — in music
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bass — the fish
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. file — a tool

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