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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: hand · board · wake · coach · pass · vault · ruler · lean

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — a permit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hand — help
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — a committee
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. vault — a safe
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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