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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: bowl · race · racket · stock · bound · leaves · vault · cue

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bound — certain
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stock — shares
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. race — a contest
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stock — goods
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bound — tied together

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