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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: club · coach · board · snap · court · prune · vault · can

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. can — a tin
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. court — of law
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — to get on
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. club — for golf
  18. vault — a safe
  19. snap — to click
  20. board — a committee
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. can — to be able to
  24. prune — to trim

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