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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 · vault · pop · prune · tube · key · perch · patient

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pop — to visit
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. prune — to trim
  5. key — the most important part
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. key — in music
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — for a lock
  12. vault — a safe
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — a container
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — bread
  23. tube — the underground
  24. patient — a sick person

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