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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: bulb · stock · vault · stand · pitch · rule · mate · scale

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — completely
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rule — a law
  11. mate — a friend
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mate — to breed
  14. scale — in music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — goods
  21. rule — government
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bulb — of a plant

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