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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: pitcher · land · bark · perch · bound · scale · pit · vault

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. land — a country
  10. vault — a safe
  11. land — ground
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pit — a hole
  19. scale — in music
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. land — to come down
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. perch — for a bird

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