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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.

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: vault · perch · net · bass · coach · nail · bay · chip

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. net — in sport
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. net — for catching
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. net — after costs
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bass — low music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. nail — on a finger

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