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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: vault · cabinet · pitch · face · suit · bore · dip · race

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. face — to point toward
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. suit — to fit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. race — humankind
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. face — to confront
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — a contest

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