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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 116 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: pitch · ruler · vault · firm · lash · current · snap · clip

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. current — of water
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. vault — a safe
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. current — electric
  14. clip — a video
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. current — happening now
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. clip — for paper
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — a company

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