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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. kick — in football
  3. file — a document
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — a division
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. file — a tool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stem — to come from
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — a skill
  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