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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: pitcher · pound · club · object · cell · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. object — a thing
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cell — in biology
  6. club — a group
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. object — an aim
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — to protest
  18. club — for golf

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