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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 · staff · bass · fork · rule · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rule — a law
  4. fork — in a road
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rule — government
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bass — low music
  11. staff — employees
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. scale — size or range
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. scale — in music
  18. fork — to eat with

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