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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.

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 · ground · stick · saw · fine · race · rush · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. race — a contest
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ground — a position
  11. fine — all right
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ground — crushed
  19. race — humankind
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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