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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: last · vault · bay · pitch · dip · ruler · shower · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. last — to go on
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pitch — completely
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. last — finally
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. last — final
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. vault — a safe

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