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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pitcher · can · toast · vault · arm · lash · bound · pitch

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bound — tied together
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — a safe
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — to be able to
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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