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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: coach · mark · wave · pop · fine · vault · field · jam

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fine — all right
  3. pop — music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. field — for sport
  8. vault — a safe
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — farmland
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — high quality
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pop — soda
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — a tight spot

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