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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: tube · vault · mouse · coach · bank · suit · hand · fork

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bank — for money
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — help
  9. fork — in a road
  10. tube — a container
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. hand — in cards
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. suit — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mouse — for a computer

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