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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: shower · key · pop · vault · cue · bark · pit · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cue — for pool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pit — in a race
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — in music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pit — a hole
  18. shower — rain
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. shower — to wash

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