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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: kid · fine · game · foot · coach · vault

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kid — child
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. game — wild animals
  8. vault — a safe
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. foot — a measure
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. game — a match
  18. kid — to tease

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