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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: toast · vault · mine · track · fine · wake · cap · suit

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cap — of ice
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mine — for digging
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. track — a song
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — a path
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fine — all right
  22. toast — bread
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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