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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 · vault · current · mug · pitch · club · board · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — of water
  5. vault — a safe
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — a face
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — crushed
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. club — for dancing
  16. board — a committee
  17. club — for golf
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. club — a group
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. track — a path
  24. board — a flat piece

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