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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: roll · pop · coach · drill · rule · bore · vault · file

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rule — government
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. file — a line of people
  13. drill — a practice
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. drill — the tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pop — soda
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rule — a law
  22. pop — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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