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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 116 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: mark · vault · bank · nail · sharp · patient · fall · coach

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — a trace
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fall — to drop
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mark — a grade
  24. patient — a sick person

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