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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: mine · deal · straw · scale · rock · drill · vault · cap

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rock — a stone
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rock — music
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. drill — army training
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. drill — the tool
  20. vault — a safe
  21. drill — a practice
  22. scale — size or range
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — a straw man

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