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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 120 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: vault · cue · chest · rush · mouse · pass · mug · tear

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — a face
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. chest — a box
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pass — a permit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. chest — of your body

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