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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 116 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: vault · current · hand · bass · row · cue · can · bay

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — of water
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bass — the fish
  24. hand — help

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