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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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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 · cabinet · bulb · rule · vault · club · dip · last

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cue — a signal
  3. last — finally
  4. club — a group
  5. last — to go on
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — for golf
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. club — for dancing
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — final
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rule — government
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cue — for pool

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