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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.

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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: ruler · coach · vault · bat · trunk · sharp · bay · capital

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bat — the animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. sharp — clever
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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