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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.

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 · perch · key · coach · sharp · stock · swing · object

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. object — an aim
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. key — in music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. vault — a safe
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — the most important part
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — to protest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. object — a thing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stock — a soup base

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