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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: march · hand · bay · vault · calf · cue · net · squash

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. march — the month
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. net — for catching
  6. cue — a signal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. net — in sport
  11. cue — for pool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. net — after costs
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. march — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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