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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 120 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: pitch · bear · vault · trunk · spring · track · coach · rule

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. track — a path
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. spring — of water
  6. vault — a safe
  7. track — a song
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. spring — the season
  11. rule — a law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rule — government
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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