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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 · craft · board · scale · hide · present

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — boats
  6. present — there
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. present — a gift
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. vault — a safe
  11. craft — a skill
  12. scale — in music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — the time now
  17. board — to get on
  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