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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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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: wind · ruler · coach · vault · fork · race · lie · stem

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lie — to recline
  17. race — a contest
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — humankind

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