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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: leaves · arm · pitch · vault · key · court · rush · lie

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. key — the most important part
  8. court — of a king
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. key — in music
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rush — hurry
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — for a lock

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