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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: deal · vault · tear · cue · tube · season · kick · bound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. kick — in football
  3. bound — tied together
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. season — in sport
  7. bound — obliged
  8. tube — the underground
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — a hint
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. tear — to rip
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bound — certain
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. season — of the year
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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