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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 · rest · cabinet · vault · trunk · row · rush · march

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. rest — a break
  3. row — to paddle
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — a line
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — hurry
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. march — the month
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. toast — bread
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rest — what's left
  20. march — music
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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