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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: scale · object · bulb · rush · rock · mark · last · vault

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. object — an aim
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. object — to protest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mark — a trace
  16. last — final
  17. rock — a stone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. last — finally
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — a thing
  24. last — to go on

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