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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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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: vault · racket · prune · wake · mark · drill · cue · mate

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. drill — army training
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — to trim
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — a signal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cue — a hint
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wake — a trail

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