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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: can · foot · vault · land · pitcher · pass · fall · coach

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. land — a country
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. can — a tin
  12. land — to come down
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. vault — a safe
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. land — ground

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