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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: stick · chip · racket · vault · track · straw · suit · pass

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. track — a path
  9. suit — to fit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. chip — to eat
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — a safe
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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