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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: sharp · pit · cue · lie · vault · firm · wake · kid

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. pit — a hole
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. kid — to tease
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. firm — decided
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cue — a signal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — child
  21. cue — a hint
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pit — in a race
  24. vault — a safe

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