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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: toast · pound · wake · degree · spell · vault

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. spell — letters
  6. degree — an amount
  7. spell — a short time
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — magic
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. vault — a safe

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