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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 116 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: rock · trunk · cue · tube · vault · net · fork · shower

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. net — for catching
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — after costs
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. tube — a container
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cue — a signal
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. net — in sport
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. shower — rain
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rock — music
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — a stone

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