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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: drill · coach · rush · track · mate · charge · suit · vault

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — a path
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — a song
  5. rush — hurry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mate — a partner
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mate — to breed
  19. charge — electricity
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — to keep track
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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