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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: coach · toast · mouse · cue · straw · net · vault · lie

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. toast — bread
  6. lie — to recline
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — a hint
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. net — after costs
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. cue — for pool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. cue — a signal

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