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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.

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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 · stock · coach · file · net · drill · calf · deal

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stock — goods
  10. deal — to handle
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. net — in sport
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stock — shares
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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