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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: bear · vault · hand · coach · patient · bowl · firm · charge

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. firm — a company
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — steady
  6. vault — a safe
  7. charge — electricity
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. charge — a price
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. hand — help
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — decided
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hand — part of the body
  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