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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: wound · game · hand · vault · deal · coach · board · stand

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — to bear
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — an injury
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hand — help
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — to handle
  24. hand — in cards

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