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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: scale · object · march · vault · pop · pit · wax · chip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pop — soda
  6. march — music
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. vault — a safe
  13. scale — in music
  14. wax — to grow
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. march — the month
  18. object — an aim
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pop — music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. march — the month
  24. scale — size or range

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