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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: club · wake · vault · bay · nail · ground · toast · firm

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ground — crushed
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ground — a position
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ground — the earth
  16. toast — bread
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wake — a trail
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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