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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: vault · object · club · snap · cue · hand · fine · trunk

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. cue — for pool
  3. object — a thing
  4. cue — a hint
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. club — for golf
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cue — a signal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. hand — help
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — to protest
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. club — a group
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. vault — a safe
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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