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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: cue · hand · lean · rest · vault · foot · bank · ruler

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lean — thin
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rest — a break
  16. hand — help
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cue — for pool
  24. vault — a safe

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