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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: lean · file · face · racket · vault · temple · pitch · coach

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. file — a line of people
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. file — a document
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. file — a tool
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. lean — thin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lean — to bend
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitch — completely

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