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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: wound · bulb · pass · vault · scale · mate · fine · lash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. scale — size or range
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. scale — in music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fine — all right
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pass — a permit

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