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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 120 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: suit · tear · bank · pitch · vault · band · spring · racket

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. spring — of water
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — completely
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tear — to rip
  9. band — a ring
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — a safe
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tear — from crying
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — of a river
  20. band — a music group
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  24. tear — from crying

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