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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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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: pit · ground · coach · pop · vault · net · swing · spell

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pop — to visit
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. ground — the earth
  12. net — for catching
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ground — a position
  15. pit — a hole
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. net — in sport
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. net — after costs
  21. spell — letters
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. spell — magic

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