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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: tube · pitcher · rush · hand · cue · snap · bank · vault

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tube — the underground
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cue — a hint
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. snap — to click
  23. tube — a container
  24. bank — for money

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