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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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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: track · ruler · file · lash · prune · coach · vault · fork

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. track — a path
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — a song
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. file — a document
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. track — to keep track
  24. file — 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