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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: cell · vault · bore · cap · pitch · rule · fall · bowl

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — the season
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rule — government
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fall — to drop
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pitch — a sports field

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