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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: ground · scale · bank · ball · club · net · vault · jam

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ground — crushed
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ball — a great time
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ball — a dance
  14. net — for catching
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. net — in sport
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — for golf
  19. net — after costs
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — a position
  22. club — for dancing
  23. scale — in music
  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