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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 116 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: vault · trunk · sharp · wake · plane · staff · coach · pitcher

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. staff — a stick
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — a safe
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. plane — a tool

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