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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: bay · vault · present · club · temple · toast · sharp · wake

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. present — a gift
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — for golf
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. present — the time now
  16. club — for dancing
  17. vault — a safe
  18. toast — bread
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. present — there
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wake — a trail
  24. sharp — clever

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