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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. board — a committee
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — to get on
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. snap — to click
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. hand — part of the body

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