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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: track · bear · vault · press · scale · club · foot · prune

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. prune — to trim
  3. track — a song
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. club — for golf
  6. scale — in music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. track — to keep track
  9. foot — a measure
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. track — a path
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. press — a publisher
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — a safe
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. press — newspapers
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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