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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · coach · ground · branch · lie · bore · vault · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bore — to drill
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ground — the earth
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — a position
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. file — a tool
  16. kick — in football
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — crushed
  19. vault — a safe
  20. file — a document
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bore — to tire
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kick — with a leg

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