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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: degree · lean · coach · firm · vault · game · mug · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. firm — decided
  5. mug — to rob
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — a face
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. degree — an amount
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. vault — a safe
  18. firm — a company
  19. mug — a cup
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lean — thin

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