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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: spell · toast · key · race · root · stand · vault · rest

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. spell — a short time
  4. race — humankind
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rest — a break
  7. race — the arms race
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spell — magic
  10. vault — a safe
  11. root — of a word
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. spell — letters
  15. root — the cause
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — in music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. root — of a plant
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. race — a contest

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