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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. track — a path
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — to bear
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. track — a song
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — for money

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