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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: fine · lean · pass · track · prune · scale · wake · vault

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lean — to bend
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lean — thin
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — size or range
  21. wake — a trail
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — to trim
  24. track — a path

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