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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stock — shares
  7. cue — a hint
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cap — a hat
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — goods
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lie — to recline

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