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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: vault · staff · swing · march · mug · pitch · wake · mate

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. staff — employees
  4. march — music
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mug — a face
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mate — to breed
  13. vault — a safe
  14. march — the month
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. staff — employees
  20. swing — to play on
  21. march — the month
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wake — a trail
  24. staff — a stick

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