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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: pop · roll · file · leaves · hand · cue · vault · ground

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. file — a tool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. file — a line of people
  6. hand — help
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ground — crushed
  11. hand — in cards
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ground — the earth
  16. roll — a list
  17. file — a document
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pop — to visit
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. ground — a position
  22. cue — a signal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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