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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 120 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: march · safe · bore · foot · club · coach · stock · vault

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stock — goods
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. march — the month
  13. bore — to tire
  14. club — for golf
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. club — a group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bore — to drill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. march — the month
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stock — shares

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