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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.

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: patient · can · vault · fan · pitch · bat · bark · racket

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bark — to shout
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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