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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.

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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: club · coach · game · dip · vault · ground · mug · last

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. last — finally
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — to sink
  7. game — a match
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. last — final
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ground — a position
  12. club — for golf
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mug — to rob
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. club — for dancing
  24. last — to go on

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