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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: vault · firm · mine · pitcher · deal · present · bay · suit

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — decided
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — a company
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. present — a gift
  9. deal — to handle
  10. present — there
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — steady
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. present — the time now
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. vault — a safe

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