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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: sharp · mate · toast · track · swing · pit · squash · vault

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. vault — a safe
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mate — a friend
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. swing — to play on
  8. toast — bread
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mate — a partner
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. track — a path
  14. pit — a hole
  15. sharp — clever
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pit — in a race
  18. swing — music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. track — a song
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. squash — the sport

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