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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 · perch · ball · march · coach · safe · pound · lean

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lean — to bend
  10. march — the month
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. march — the month
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. march — music
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lean — thin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — the fish

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