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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 · toast · coach · trunk · dip · bulb · chair · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. toast — bread
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. dip — to sink
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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