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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: pitcher · tear · track · rush · rash · cue · hide · vault

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. track — a song
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — a hint
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — a path
  7. rash — a series
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cue — a signal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cue — for pool

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