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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: stand · vault · present · mine · mate · cue · toast · prune

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mine — for digging
  3. present — a gift
  4. vault — a safe
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. present — the time now
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. toast — bread
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — there
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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