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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: kid · key · mate · vault · bear · stem · pitcher · pit

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. kid — child
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — to breed
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mate — a partner

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