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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.

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 · game · ball · season · pit · wound · rock · pass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a match
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — wild animals
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wound — an injury
  24. vault — a safe

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