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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: track · hide · vault · cabinet · wave · snap · coach · plane

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. track — a song
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. track — to keep track
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. vault — a safe

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