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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 120 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
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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: pop · coach · mark · bay · snap · game · vault · season

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pop — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. season — of the year
  7. game — a match
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mark — a trace
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pop — soda
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. season — in sport
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. snap — to click

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