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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: drill · lean · rock · lash · vault · coach · spring · court

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. drill — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. spring — of water
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. court — of law
  15. lean — to bend
  16. spring — a coil
  17. court — for sport
  18. drill — army training
  19. court — of a king
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lean — thin
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — a practice

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