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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: bore · vault · shower · lie · roll · coach · cap · root

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cap — of ice
  6. roll — a list
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. shower — rain
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. vault — a safe
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. root — of a word
  22. roll — a cake
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bore — to drill

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