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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: mate · sharp · current · vault · shower · snap · pitch · coach

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. mate — a friend
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. snap — to click
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mate — to breed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mate — a partner
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitch — completely
  24. coach — a trainer

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