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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: board · last · ruler · safe · vault · coach · leaves · racket

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. last — finally
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. board — a committee
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — a safe
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. board — to get 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