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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: hand · pass · kid · pitch · rule · ball · vault · coach

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. hand — help
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. kid — to tease
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hand — in cards
  12. vault — a safe
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rule — government
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kid — child
  23. rule — a law
  24. pitch — a sports field

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