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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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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: wind · vault · saw · pitch · chip · shower · fine · bank

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. chip — for betting
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — rain
  17. bank — of a river
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fine — all right

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