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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: row · prune · rest · can · vault · club · toast · board

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — to trim
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — a committee
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rest — a break
  10. toast — bread
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. row — a line
  17. club — a group
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. club — for dancing
  20. board — to get on
  21. can — to be able to
  22. club — for golf
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. can — a tin

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