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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 116 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 · vault · pop · file · last · safe · bat · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pop — soda
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — music
  5. last — to go on
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. pop — to visit
  9. file — a document
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. last — final
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bat — the animal
  16. file — a tool
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. last — finally
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mug — a face
  24. vault — a safe

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