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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: leaves · scale · cold · vault · mate · fan · track · coach

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cold — not warm
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. track — to keep track
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. mate — to breed
  12. scale — in music
  13. track — a song
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mate — a friend
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cold — an illness
  21. track — a path
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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