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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: cue · vault · ball · bark · saw · stock · sharp · dip

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cue — for pool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stock — shares
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. vault — a safe
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stock — goods

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