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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: vault · march · coach · arm · safe · tube

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — a container
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — a safe
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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