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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 120 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: calf · rest · pass · vault · spring · hand · stock · scale

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. spring — of water
  6. hand — help
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stock — goods
  11. hand — in cards
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stock — shares
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spring — the season
  24. 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