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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 120 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: coach · pop · prune · lash · suit · mark · vault · cell

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — soda
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pop — music
  13. cell — in biology
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cell — a phone
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cell — in a prison

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