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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: capital · club · craft · bank · vault · calf · race · pound

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. vault — a safe
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — a contest
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. club — a group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — humankind
  13. pound — a weight
  14. capital — a city
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. club — for golf
  18. craft — a skill
  19. capital — money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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