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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 120 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: foot · cabinet · trunk · vault · cue · rush · squash · bulb

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. squash — the sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. foot — a measure
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cue — for pool
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. vault — a safe

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