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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: coach · ruler · cold · vault · drill · staff

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. drill — army training
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — a safe
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cold — an illness
  9. drill — the tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cold — not warm
  18. staff — a stick

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