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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: stick · court · cue · toast · bulb · vault · game · calf

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. game — a match
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. court — of a king
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. cue — a hint
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — a signal
  15. toast — bread
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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