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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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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: bank · field · date · vault · deal · race · cue · coach

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. field — for sport
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. field — a subject
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — to handle
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bank — of a river
  10. race — a contest
  11. cue — a signal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. date — the fruit
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — farmland
  24. coach — a trainer

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