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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · branch · object · pitcher · track · vault · toast · coach

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. toast — bread
  4. track — to keep track
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rule — government
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — a division
  17. object — a thing
  18. track — a song
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. track — a path

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