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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: pitch · squash · craft · row · wave · foot · vault · mouse

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. row — to paddle
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. foot — a measure
  5. vault — a safe
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitch — a sports field

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