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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · vault · sharp · arm · pitch · squash · patient · staff

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitch — completely
  4. squash — the sport
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a trace
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. staff — employees
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. sharp — clever
  13. vault — a safe
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. squash — to crush

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