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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 · leaves · field · deal · mark · cap · vault · lean

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. field — a subject
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cap — of ice
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cue — a hint
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — thin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — a big deal

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