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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · hand · mark · pitcher · vault · mouse · squash · pound

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mark — a grade
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pound — a weight
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pound — for dogs

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