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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · vault · plane · hide · row · pop · rock · ball

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. vault — a safe
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. row — a line
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rock — a stone
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. ball — a great time
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pit — a hole

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