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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: nail · jam · trunk · pitch · club · vault · scale · bank

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — completely
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — for golf
  19. bank — for money
  20. scale — in music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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