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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: temple · scale · rash · court · leaves · vault · drill · ground

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. scale — size or range
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rash — a series
  7. scale — in music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. ground — the earth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. ground — a position
  14. rash — hasty
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. drill — army training
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. court — of law
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. leaves — of a tree

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