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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: pitch · object · vault · cell · season · branch · nail · tear

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pitch — completely
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — in sport
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cell — in biology
  13. tear — to rip
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. object — an aim
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — of the year
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. object — a thing
  24. cell — a phone

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