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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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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 · coach · wave · field · suit · mate · bear · present

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. field — farmland
  6. vault — a safe
  7. field — for sport
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mate — to breed
  10. present — there
  11. bear — the animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. mate — a partner
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mate — a friend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. field — a subject

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