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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: vault · rule · coach · wave · track · craft · net · object

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. net — for catching
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. object — to protest
  6. track — a path
  7. object — an aim
  8. vault — a safe
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. object — a thing
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — in sport
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rule — a law
  19. net — after costs
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. craft — boats
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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