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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: wound · nail · track · coach · vault · hide · perch · saw

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. track — a path
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — a safe
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. perch — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — to keep track

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