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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · squash · drill · mine · bulb · cue · board · vault

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. vault — a safe
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. squash — to crush
  17. drill — the tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. drill — army training

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