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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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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 · perch · pass · drill · row · coach · hide · spell

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. spell — magic
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. row — to paddle
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. row — a line
  10. vault — a safe
  11. drill — a practice
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pass — a permit
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. drill — the tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. drill — army training
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — letters

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