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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 120 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: swing · coach · bat · plane · net · suit · ball · vault

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. suit — to fit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. suit — clothes
  7. net — in sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. plane — a tool
  13. swing — music
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. net — after costs
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. net — for catching
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ball — a great time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. vault — a safe
  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