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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 · last · chip · ruler · foot · club · root · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. club — for golf
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. last — final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — for dancing
  9. vault — a safe
  10. root — of a plant
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. content — the amount
  13. last — to go on
  14. chip — for betting
  15. last — finally
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — to eat
  20. foot — a measure
  21. content — happy
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. club — a group
  24. foot — the bottom

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