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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 116 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: race · vault · perch · bound · coach · last · cabinet · branch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. last — to go on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. last — final
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — finally
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — humankind
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. branch — a division
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. branch — of a bank

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