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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 116 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: pound · stand · vault · lie · court · kid · pitch · rest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. court — of law
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. kid — to tease
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — of a king
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — a weight
  18. kid — child
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. court — for sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitch — a sports field

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