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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: file · vault · scale · perch · pass · rule · bulb · ball

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rule — government
  9. perch — the fish
  10. file — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — a law
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. file — a line of people
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. file — a document
  22. pass — a permit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — to succeed

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