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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: calf · vault · game · pitcher · craft · spring · track · ground

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ground — crushed
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spring — of water
  10. craft — a skill
  11. game — a match
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — the season
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ground — the earth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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