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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 120 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 · bank · craft · perch · nail · pit · vault · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a skill
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. field — for sport
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pit — in a race
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bank — of a river
  14. field — farmland
  15. bank — for money
  16. club — for golf
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pit — a hole
  20. vault — a safe
  21. club — a group
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — for a hammer

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