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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 116 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: pitch · cabinet · rest · vault · lash · can · present · nail

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rest — a break
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. present — a gift
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitch — completely
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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