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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: rash · calf · swing · vault · pitch · sharp · stick · tube

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. tube — a container
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rash — a series
  15. swing — music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. swing — to play on
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rash — hasty
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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