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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: vault · craft · game · safe · club · ground · racket · leaves

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. club — for golf
  3. craft — a skill
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. game — a match
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. craft — boats
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. vault — a safe
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ground — the earth
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ground — crushed
  18. club — a group
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. club — for dancing
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. racket — a loud noise

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