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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 · vault · bank · prune · track · drill · rock · jam

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — the tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. drill — army training
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. track — to keep track
  13. drill — a practice
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bank — of a river
  18. track — a song
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — a path
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rock — music

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