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

Word bank: rest · deal · shower · pit · cue · vault · firm · wake

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pit — in a race
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. firm — decided
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. vault — a safe
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wake — a trail
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rest — a break
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. shower — rain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cue — a hint
  24. firm — a company

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