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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: pass · fan · coach · snap · wound · object · suit · vault

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. object — to protest
  17. snap — to click
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fan — a supporter

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