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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: mark · date · shower · board · present · snap · cue · vault

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to click
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mark — a grade
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. board — a committee
  15. cue — a signal
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. present — a gift
  18. date — the fruit
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. board — to get on
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. shower — rain
  23. cue — for pool
  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