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

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hand — help
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hand — in cards
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. tube — a container
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kid — child
  24. vault — a safe

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