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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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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: hand · pitch · rock · firm · suit · swing · vault · bulb

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — a company
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. swing — to play on
  7. firm — decided
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitch — completely
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. suit — to fit

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