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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: kid · lie · coach · pitcher · cap · vault · suit · stand

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cap — a lid
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kid — to tease

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