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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · degree · pitcher · lash · coach · foot · ball · wax

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ball — a dance
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ball — a great time
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lash — to lash out

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