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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
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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: tear · stand · coach · vault · current · saw · mate · season

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — of water
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — happening now
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mate — a friend
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — electric
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stand — to bear
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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