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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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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 · wake · mug · cue · march · rash · lash · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cue — for pool
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rash — a series
  8. mug — to rob
  9. march — the month
  10. wake — a trail
  11. march — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. march — the month
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rash — hasty
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — a face
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rash — on the skin
  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