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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: coach · file · branch · key · mug · vault · present · degree

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. mug — a face
  8. key — in music
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. key — for a lock
  11. degree — from a university
  12. present — there
  13. mug — a cup
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. present — a gift
  17. vault — a safe
  18. file — a document
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. present — the time now
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. file — a tool
  23. key — the most important part
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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