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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: vault · pitcher · bass · craft · jam · race · present · band

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. present — a gift
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. present — there
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. race — humankind
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. present — the time now
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. vault — a safe
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. bass — low music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. band — a ring
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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