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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: pop · pitcher · vault · cue · swing · last · straw · patient

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. last — finally
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pop — to visit
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — for pool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. last — to go on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. swing — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pop — soda
  22. last — final
  23. swing — in golf
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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