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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
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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: vault · sharp · pop · ground · march · mug · bore · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pop — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bore — to tire
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ground — a position
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. march — music
  18. ground — the earth
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bore — to drill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mug — a face
  24. march — the month

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