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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: calf · sharp · arm · stand · coach · vault · bear · file

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bear — the animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. file — a document
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. file — a line of people
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. sharp — with an edge

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