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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: file · rush · vault · saw · drill · stem · coach · board

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stem — to come from
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. drill — the tool
  14. file — a tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. file — a document
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — army training
  24. rush — hurry

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