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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: club · pop · race · rash · key · vault · pitcher · rock

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. race — a contest
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — soda
  13. race — humankind
  14. club — for golf
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. key — the most important part
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pop — music
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — a safe
  24. key — in music

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