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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: fan · calf · bank · vault · sharp · nail · wake · coach

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bank — for money
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — to cool the air

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