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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: game · firm · vault · pitch · ground · coach · dip · stick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ground — a position
  5. firm — a company
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ground — the earth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. game — wild animals
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitch — completely
  18. game — a match
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ground — crushed
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — steady

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