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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: vault · bowl · board · pitch · lash · racket · craft · cabinet

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. craft — a skill
  15. board — to get on
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — a loud noise

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