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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 116 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: ball · swing · vault · cue · stock · tube · net · bowl

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — goods
  5. net — in sport
  6. swing — music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ball — a great time
  12. tube — a container
  13. ball — a dance
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cue — a hint
  16. net — after costs
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. swing — to play on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cue — for pool
  23. tube — the underground
  24. net — for catching

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