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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: pitcher · bear · board · ground · rush · perch · suit · vault

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — to get on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ground — crushed
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. perch — the fish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. rush — hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — in cards

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