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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: stock · cell · hide · bank · coach · vault

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — shares
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stock — goods
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bank — for money
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bank — of a river

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