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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · scale · vault · cue · bore · cabinet · pitcher · dip

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cue — a hint
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cue — for pool
  16. vault — a safe
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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