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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · pass · row · pop · lash · mouse · pitch · bound

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. pop — soda
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pop — music
  23. row — a line
  24. pass — to spend time

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