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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: safe · pitcher · vault · swing · coach · content · chair · file

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. swing — in golf
  3. file — a document
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. content — happy
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. swing — music
  10. content — the amount
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. file — a tool
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. file — a line of people
  20. swing — to play on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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