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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: net · vault · nail · ball · stem · charge · bat · coach

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. net — in sport
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. net — after costs
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. ball — a dance
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stem — to come from
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. net — for catching
  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