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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 120 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: cabinet · stick · season · mate · coach · land · trunk · vault

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mate — a partner
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. land — ground
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. vault — a safe
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. mate — to breed

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