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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: vault · firm · pitcher · sharp · can · trunk · coach · bark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. sharp — clever
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. firm — a company
  13. can — a tin
  14. firm — steady
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — to be able to
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. sharp — with an edge

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