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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 · chair · track · vault · chest · bank · mate · suit

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chest — a box
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chest — of your body
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bank — for money
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — of a river
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. suit — in cards

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