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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · vault · mine · trunk · spring · arm · track · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. track — a path
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. track — a song
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — to keep track
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. spring — of water
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spring — the season
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mine — for digging
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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