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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: track · club · vault · racket · rush · race · pit · lean

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. race — the arms race
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. lean — to bend
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lean — thin
  14. club — for dancing
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. pit — in a race
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. club — a group
  24. vault — a safe

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