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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: can · vault · pitch · calf · toast · clip · bulb · bear

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. clip — a video
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bulb — for light
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. toast — bread
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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