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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: ball · lie · vault · rock · wound · rest · pitch · squash

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rock — a stone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lie — to recline
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitch — completely
  13. squash — the sport
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rock — to move gently

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