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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.

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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: racket · pitch · rule · rest · vault · mug · march · plane

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — a break
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. vault — a safe
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — government
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rule — a law
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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