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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: rash · deal · bound · rush · cue · pitch · tube · vault

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rash — a series
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tube — a container
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — certain
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bound — tied together

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