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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: squash · march · mark · kick · cabinet · toast · board · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. toast — bread
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mark — a grade
  19. march — the month
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a trace

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