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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: key · pitcher · bark · hide · vault · pit · chair · ruler

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. key — in music
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pit — a hole
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bark — to shout

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