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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.

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: lean · toast · scale · vault · wake · spell · stand · capital

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. scale — in music
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. vault — a safe
  12. capital — money
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. capital — a city
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wake — before a funeral

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