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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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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 · kid · chest · temple · racket · drill · firm · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — a box
  3. vault — a safe
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. drill — army training
  6. chest — of your body
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kid — to tease
  14. cue — a signal
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. firm — a company
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. kid — child
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — steady
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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