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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: ball · trunk · vault · temple · drill · bore · field · stand

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stand — to bear
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bore — to tire
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. drill — army training
  23. field — for sport
  24. bore — gave birth

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