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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: rock · squash · vault · toast · track · bound · pop · ball

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pop — soda
  3. track — to keep track
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ball — a great time
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pop — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. toast — bread
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rock — music
  19. bound — tied together
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pop — to visit
  24. track — a path

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