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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 · pit · track · vault · mouse · fork · wake · club

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — a path
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. club — for dancing
  20. track — a song
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fork — a garden tool

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