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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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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: mouse · rock · bear · vault · tear · chip · pass · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. tear — to rip
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bear — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  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