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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.

Make a worksheet

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: march · leaves · drill · chest · wave · chair · coach · vault

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. march — music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. chest — a box
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — army training
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chair — a leader
  21. march — the month
  22. chest — of your body
  23. march — the month
  24. wave — with your hand

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