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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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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 · deal · vault · race · bank · plane

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. race — a contest
  3. plane — a tool
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bank — of a river
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. scale — in music
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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