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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.

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: court · trunk · pitcher · lash · spell · branch · pitch · vault

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. court — of a king
  7. spell — magic
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spell — letters
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. court — for sport
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. branch — a division
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. court — of law

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