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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: snap · vault · bass · court · bark · object · bore · coach

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. vault — a safe
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. court — of law
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bore — to tire
  9. court — for sport
  10. bore — to drill
  11. court — of a king
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bass — low music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bass — the fish
  20. snap — to click
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — an aim
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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