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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: stand · row · vault · stock · board · field · coach · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. field — farmland
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. field — a subject
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. board — a committee
  16. row — a line
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. row — to paddle
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. board — to get on
  22. stock — goods
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. field — for sport

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