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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: coach · fork · stem · ruler · vault · pass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stem — to come from
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ruler — for measuring

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