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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
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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: court · ground · coach · band · mark · face · hide · vault

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. face — part of the head
  4. band — a music group
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ground — a position
  7. face — to point toward
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. court — of law
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. band — a ring
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. face — to confront
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. vault — a safe
  24. hide — animal skin

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