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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bass · foot · wind · cabinet · lie · vault · staff

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bass — low music
  11. scale — in music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wind — moving air
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — size or range
  21. vault — a safe
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bass — the fish
  24. foot — part of the body

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