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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 120 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 · wave · content · vault · cue · kick · foot · shower

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. shower — rain
  9. kick — in football
  10. cue — a hint
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — the amount
  13. lie — to recline
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. content — happy
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. foot — a measure
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cue — a signal

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