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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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Word bank
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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: shower · rush · fine · cue · vault · swing · band · tube

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — music
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fine — all right
  5. cue — a signal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. vault — a safe
  9. shower — rain
  10. rush — hurry
  11. tube — a container
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. band — a music group
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. band — a ring
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cue — a hint

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