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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: fall · calf · spell · coach · branch · bay · court · vault

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. court — of law
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fall — to drop
  9. branch — a division
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. spell — letters
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. fall — the season
  17. spell — a short time
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. coach — a trainer

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