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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: rest · vault · toast · pitcher · race · suit · bulb · jam

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. vault — a safe
  3. race — humankind
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. toast — bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rest — a break
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. race — the arms race
  21. suit — in cards
  22. race — a contest
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rest — what's left

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