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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: bass · prune · suit · ground · pop · march · vault · nail

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bass — low music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. march — music
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pop — soda
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — a position
  17. bass — the fish
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. ground — the earth
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — crushed
  23. march — the month
  24. suit — in cards

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