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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.

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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: stick · mate · mine · row · pitch · vault · ruler · present

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. row — a line
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — to paddle
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. present — there
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. present — a gift
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. present — the time now
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ruler — for measuring

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