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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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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: face · object · pitch · sharp · staff · roll · wake · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. object — to protest
  5. vault — a safe
  6. object — an aim
  7. staff — employees
  8. object — a thing
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitch — completely
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. roll — a list
  14. face — to confront
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. face — to point toward
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. staff — employees
  23. sharp — clever
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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