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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: lie · drill · cell · snap · vault · bay · cue · shower

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to click
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cue — a hint
  14. drill — army training
  15. shower — rain
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. vault — a safe
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. shower — to wash

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