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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: pound · cue · toast · key · vault · hide · firm · mouse

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cue — a signal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. key — in music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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