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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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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: sharp · fall · bass · deal · vault · coach · toast · mouse

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bass — the fish
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bass — low music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. toast — bread
  24. bass — the instrument

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