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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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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: stand · staff · pit · foot · vault · snap · hide · pitcher

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pit — a hole
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — in a race
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — part of the body

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