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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · coach · scale · vault · can · mate · cap · pitch

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mate — a partner
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — to breed
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. scale — in music
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. last — to go on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mate — a friend
  18. scale — size or range
  19. last — final
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. last — finally
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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