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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: pitch · mark · toast · spring · kick · march · vault · craft

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. spring — a coil
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — the season
  8. mark — a grade
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spring — of water
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mark — a trace
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — boats
  22. march — the month
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitch — completely

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