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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: cue · bass · deal · mouse · vault · bay · board · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. content — happy
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — a signal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. content — the amount
  6. deal — to handle
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — a committee
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cue — for pool
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — a hint
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bass — low music
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  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