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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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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: net · bore · pit · fork · hide · ball · vault · pass

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. net — after costs
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. net — in sport
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fork — in a road
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bore — to tire
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. net — for catching
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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