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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.

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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 · degree · coach · fork · suit · rash · kick · trunk

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fork — in a road
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rash — hasty
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. degree — from a university
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rash — a series
  22. degree — temperature
  23. suit — clothes
  24. coach — a trainer

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