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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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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: squash · vault · arm · pitcher · spell · bank · racket · chair

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. spell — letters
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. chair — a leader
  23. spell — a short time
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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