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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
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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: fan · wave · coach · band · stock · nail · vault · squash

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. vault — a safe
  4. band — a music group
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. band — a ring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stock — goods
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — shares
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. squash — to crush

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