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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
468
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: rash · coach · rest · scale · vault · wave · mouse · ball

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. scale — in music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rash — a series
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rash — hasty
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rest — a break
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rest — what's left

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