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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: bound · sharp · file · pit · coach · rock · straw · vault

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. sharp — clever
  3. file — a tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — certain
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. file — a document
  12. bound — obliged
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rock — music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. vault — a safe
  24. straw — a straw man

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