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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: vault · jam · hide · row · coach · field · lie · arm

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — farmland
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. field — for sport
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. row — a line
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. row — to paddle

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