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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: mate · wake · vault · coach · pass · leaves · race · mouse

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. vault — a safe
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wake — a trail

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