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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: cue · plane · fall · fork · pop · mug · racket · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mug — a face
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pop — soda
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pop — music
  22. fork — in a road
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. racket — for tennis

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