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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.

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: pitch · bore · stem · court · scale · vault · current · bat

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. current — electric
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. current — of water
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bat — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. scale — size or range
  11. current — happening now
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. scale — in music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. court — for sport
  22. pitch — completely
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bore — to tire

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