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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 120 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: mark · cue · cap · vault · chest · track · firm · current

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. firm — steady
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a song
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. chest — a box
  14. cap — a lid
  15. firm — a company
  16. chest — of your body
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mark — a grade
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. cap — of ice

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