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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: bound · straw · firm · racket · cue · vault · mouse · face

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. cue — a hint
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bound — tied together
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. firm — steady
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bound — certain
  19. cue — a signal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. firm — a company
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  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