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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: cabinet · roll · club · shower · bear · vault · root · file

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — of a plant
  6. file — a tool
  7. club — a group
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. club — for dancing
  10. file — a document
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. root — of a word
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. club — for golf
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bear — the animal
  23. root — the cause
  24. bear — the animal

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