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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: scale · vault · lie · bowl · firm · wind

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. scale — in music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. firm — a company
  18. scale — size or range

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