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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: vault · squash · cue · ball · branch · lie · mug · clip

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. clip — for paper
  5. mug — a cup
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cue — for pool
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lie — to recline
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — a hint
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mug — to rob
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. cue — a signal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ball — a great time

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