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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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. spell — magic
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. spell — a short time
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. club — for dancing
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. snap — to click
  15. vault — a safe
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. spell — letters
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. season — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitch — completely

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