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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 116 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: cabinet · rock · court · board · scale · vault

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. court — for sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. court — of law
  15. vault — a safe
  16. board — a committee
  17. court — of a king
  18. scale — in music

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