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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: coach · date · jam · snap · sharp · vault

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. vault — a safe
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. sharp — clever
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. date — the fruit
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. snap — to click

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