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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bank · vault · wound · court · rash · scale · degree · board

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. degree — an amount
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bank — for money
  10. rash — a series
  11. degree — from a university
  12. court — for sport
  13. wound — an injury
  14. court — of a king
  15. vault — a safe
  16. board — a committee
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. court — of law
  20. degree — temperature
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bank — of a river
  24. board — to get on

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