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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 120 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: arm · field · vault · coach · present · mark · stock · file

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. file — a document
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. file — a tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stock — goods
  16. mark — a grade
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mark — a trace
  21. present — there
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. present — a gift
  24. field — for sport

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