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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.

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: sharp · bank · pitch · date · fall · bulb · fan · vault

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fall — to drop
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — a safe
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bank — for money
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fall — the season

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