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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: vault · pass · mine · club · board · toast · swing · dip

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. club — a group
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. swing — music
  5. club — for golf
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mine — for digging
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — a safe
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pass — a permit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. toast — bread
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. dip — to sink
  24. toast — the most admired

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