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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: club · net · pass · hide · vault · wake · march · toast

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — after costs
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. club — for golf
  8. net — for catching
  9. toast — bread
  10. club — a group
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. march — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. march — the month
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. net — in sport
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. club — for dancing
  24. pass — a permit

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