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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: coach · roll · press · drill · racket · spell · vault · band

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. roll — a cake
  5. drill — army training
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. band — a music group
  9. press — to push
  10. vault — a safe
  11. press — a publisher
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a ring
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. press — newspapers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. roll — a list
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. drill — a practice
  22. spell — letters
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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