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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: pit · bay · fan · foot · board · prune · cue · vault

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. foot — a measure
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cue — for pool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — a hint
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. board — a committee
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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