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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: rush · bank · vault · coach · root · lean · cue · race

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. root — of a plant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. race — humankind
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — thin
  10. root — of a word
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. cue — a signal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cue — a hint
  24. race — a contest

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