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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: club · bore · pound · cue · saw · vault · ground · branch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ground — a position
  4. bore — to drill
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cue — for pool
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — a signal
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — a division
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pound — a weight
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pound — for dogs

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