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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: coach · vault · row · bulb · rest · cabinet · track · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. row — to paddle
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. row — a line
  9. track — a song
  10. vault — a safe
  11. track — a path
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. track — to keep track
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — a break

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