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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: temple · nail · toast · wake · coach · vault · court · pound

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. court — for sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. court — of a king
  12. toast — bread
  13. pound — a weight
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. court — of law
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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