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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · present · wave · pop · nail · vault · mark · rush

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. toast — bread
  6. pop — to visit
  7. vault — a safe
  8. present — a gift
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. present — the time now
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rush — hurry
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. present — there
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rush — to hurry

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