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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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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: pitch · arm · vault · present · toast · land · ruler · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. land — to come down
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — the time now
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. land — a country
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fall — to drop
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. land — ground
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ruler — for measuring

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