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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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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: scale · perch · key · hand · wind · vault · bound · bay

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — a safe
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. scale — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — help
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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