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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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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: tube · ball · current · vault · plane · pitch · rule · bulb

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rule — a law
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. current — electric
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — happening now
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rule — government
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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