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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: vault · racket · swing · nail · bay · craft · ground · root

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. swing — music
  5. ground — a position
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — a skill
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — in golf
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. craft — boats
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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