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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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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: vault · wake · pass · pitch · season · cabinet · band · racket

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. pitch — completely
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. band — a music group
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. season — of the year
  11. band — a ring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. season — in sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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