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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 · present · bowl · track · net · lie · vault · club

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. present — there
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. track — to keep track
  5. net — for catching
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. track — a path
  8. toast — bread
  9. vault — a safe
  10. track — a song
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. present — a gift
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. club — for dancing

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