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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: rash · calf · vault · scale · tear · club

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rash — a series
  7. club — for golf
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. tear — from crying
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rash — hasty
  12. vault — a safe
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing

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