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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 116 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: vault · tear · key · mouse · mine · coach · tube · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tube — a container
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a committee
  14. key — for a lock
  15. vault — a safe
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — to rip
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. mouse — the animal

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