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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. kid — to tease
  4. squash — the sport
  5. kid — child
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cue — a hint
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mug — a face
  15. march — the month
  16. mug — a cup
  17. march — music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. march — the month
  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