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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: content · fork · vault · shower · kid · cue · root · foot

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  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. shower — rain
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cue — a hint
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. root — of a word
  6. fork — in a road
  7. kid — child
  8. foot — a measure
  9. content — happy
  10. vault — a safe
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. shower — to wash
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. root — the cause
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cue — for pool
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  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