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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: date · net · bay · fine · tube · vault · track · squash

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — high quality
  4. squash — the sport
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — the fruit
  8. net — in sport
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. fine — all right
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. squash — to crush
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. tube — the underground
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fine — a penalty

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