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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 124 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: fan · mark · shower · vault · race · jam · mouse · coach

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. race — the arms race
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. race — a contest
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. race — humankind
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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