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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. vault — a safe
  3. club — a group
  4. swing — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — for golf
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. squash — the sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bank — for money
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bank — for money

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