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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 116 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: bowl · sharp · cold · calf · stem · vault · coach · fan

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stem — to come from
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cold — an illness
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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