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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: cue · fan · wind · lash · ruler · game · vault · hand

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. game — a match
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hand — help
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. cue — a signal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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