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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: bore · pitch · swing · vault · ball · kick · craft · drill

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pitch — completely
  6. swing — music
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. craft — a skill
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. swing — in golf
  24. kick — a thrill

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