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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: ball · tear · vault · scale · branch · object · bowl · rule

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rule — a law
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a dance
  5. object — a thing
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — size or range
  15. tear — from crying
  16. scale — in music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. object — an aim

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