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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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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: straw · last · squash · board · cue · vault · pitch · key

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. vault — a safe
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. cue — a signal
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — a committee
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pitch — completely
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. last — finally
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — for a lock
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. squash — the sport
  23. last — final
  24. cue — a hint

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