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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: swing · object · toast · pit · content · vault · racket · mouse

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — a hole
  5. vault — a safe
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. object — a thing
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. content — happy
  11. swing — music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. swing — in golf
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. toast — bread
  24. mouse — the animal

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