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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
468
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: can · vault · wake · toast · land · court · track · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wake — a trail
  3. land — ground
  4. track — a path
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a song
  7. land — a country
  8. can — a tin
  9. land — to come down
  10. can — to be able to
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. court — for sport
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. court — of a king
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — to keep track
  18. toast — bread
  19. court — of law
  20. vault — a safe
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — a garden tool

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