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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: mark · coach · vault · chair · cabinet · ball · file · fine

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ball — a dance
  13. file — a document
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. file — a tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a line of people

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