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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · degree · foot · vault · drill · rash · ground · bank

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. rash — a series
  3. ground — the earth
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bank — for money
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. degree — from a university
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — a position
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — of a river
  20. degree — temperature
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. foot — part of the body

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