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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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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: board · drill · vault · snap · pitch · object · mark · calf

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mark — a trace
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. board — a committee
  12. object — to protest
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. drill — a practice
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. object — a thing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. drill — army training

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