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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: stock · file · band · stem · ball · staff · vault · coach

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. band — a music group
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a great time
  8. band — a ring
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. vault — a safe
  12. staff — employees
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a dance
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. file — a line of people
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — goods
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stem — to come from
  22. file — a tool
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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