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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
468
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: rash · bank · cue · foot · drill · chest · vault · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. drill — army training
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cue — a hint
  11. drill — the tool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chest — a box
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  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