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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: game · nail · foot · bass · fine · club · vault · board

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fine — all right
  3. club — a group
  4. board — to get on
  5. game — wild animals
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. board — a committee
  10. game — a match
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bass — the fish
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bass — low music
  21. fine — high quality
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. club — for golf
  24. foot — a measure

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