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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: arm · bay · coach · present · track · vault · date · bore

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. present — the time now
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. present — a gift
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bore — to drill
  12. present — there
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. track — a path
  17. date — the fruit
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. track — a song
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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