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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: season · hand · cabinet · mug · cue · stick · sharp · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. season — in sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mug — a face
  8. hand — in cards
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a signal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cue — a hint
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hand — help
  19. season — of the year
  20. mug — to rob
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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