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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 116 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 · nail · vault · calf · wake · court · prune · stand

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. court — of a king
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. court — of law
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wake — before a funeral

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