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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: pitcher · toast · wind · lean · vault · band · bay · hide

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wind — moving air
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wind — moving air
  12. band — a ring
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. band — a music group
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. band — a rubber band

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