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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: vault · rock · mark · hand · cabinet · file · coach · drill

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. file — a document
  8. drill — army training
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mark — a trace
  17. file — a tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hand — help
  22. vault — a safe
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. file — a line of people

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