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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: roll · vault · bear · row · saw · cue · ground · shower

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. ground — a position
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ground — the earth
  6. shower — rain
  7. vault — a safe
  8. saw — the tool
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cue — a signal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. roll — a cake
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  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