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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: rule · march · vault · staff · bear · court · mug · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. march — the month
  3. court — for sport
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — a face
  12. court — of law
  13. march — the month
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rule — a law
  19. court — of a king
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — a cup
  22. march — music
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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