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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: pitcher · bass · jam · mine · firm · vault · ground · craft

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — crushed
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — a company
  6. bass — low music
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mine — for digging
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — a skill
  21. firm — steady
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. firm — decided
  24. ground — the earth

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