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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: snap · wave · vault · cell · pound · craft · swing · cue

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. swing — music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cell — in biology
  10. swing — to play on
  11. craft — boats
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. craft — a skill
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. swing — in golf
  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