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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 · wave · content · bank · rest · pitch · key · mug

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. key — the most important part
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. content — happy
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rest — a break
  16. mug — a face
  17. key — in music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. content — the amount
  24. rest — what's left

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