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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 · fall · sharp · chip · mug · club · vault · squash

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chip — for betting
  5. club — for golf
  6. mug — a face
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mug — to rob
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. club — a group
  12. mug — a cup
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. squash — the sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — to eat
  17. vault — a safe
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fall — the season
  21. sharp — clever
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. chip — in a computer

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