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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 120 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: kick · ball · bowl · fall · file · scale · vault · mouse

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fall — to drop
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. scale — in music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. file — a document
  18. fall — the season
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a great time
  24. vault — a safe

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