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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.

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: wind · vault · suit · sharp · drill · scale · coach · rock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wind — moving air
  4. drill — the tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — a stone
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — army training
  24. sharp — with an edge

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