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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · bat · calf · coach · board · mate · vault · field

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mate — a friend
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. board — a committee
  16. mate — a partner
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. field — for sport
  22. mate — to breed
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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