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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.

Make a worksheet

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: vault · sharp · content · wake · saw · racket · cue · bulb

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — for pool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — a trail
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. content — the amount
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. content — happy
  22. vault — a safe
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. racket — a loud noise

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