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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: bowl · pitch · file · hide · vault · roll · wave · staff

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. roll — a cake
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. roll — a list
  9. staff — a stick
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. file — a document
  24. bowl — a dish

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