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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 · safe · fan · cue · branch · wake · pound · vault

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pound — a weight
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. toast — bread
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — a division
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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