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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: calf · plane · vault · cold · net · stand · scale · bay

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stand — to bear
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cold — not warm
  9. plane — a tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. net — after costs
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — size or range
  15. net — in sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — an illness
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. net — for catching

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