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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rest — a break
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bound — certain
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — a hint
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — in football
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rest — what's left

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