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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 120 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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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: bound · vault · swing · rush · chest · calf · pass · pitch

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bound — certain
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chest — a box
  9. pass — a permit
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chest — of your body
  24. swing — music

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