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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.

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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: coach · charge · firm · drill · game · vault · sharp · field

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. field — farmland
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — decided
  6. drill — army training
  7. firm — steady
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — in control
  10. field — for sport
  11. drill — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. firm — a company
  16. field — a subject
  17. charge — a price
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. drill — a practice
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — electricity
  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