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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cue — for pool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cue — a hint
  9. prune — to trim
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rock — a stone
  13. shower — rain
  14. rock — music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. file — a line of people
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rush — hurry

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