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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: snap · ruler · pass · toast · mark · club · vault · current

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for golf
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — a group
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. snap — to click
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — of water
  16. toast — bread
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. current — electric
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. current — happening now
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ruler — for measuring

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