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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: kick · wave · root · kid · saw · content · sharp · vault

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. vault — a safe
  3. kid — child
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. root — of a plant
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. content — happy
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kid — to tease
  22. sharp — clever
  23. root — of a word
  24. content — the amount

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