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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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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: sharp · root · board · vault · cue · bear · deal · shower

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. shower — rain
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. root — of a word
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. cue — a hint
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. sharp — clever
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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