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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 116 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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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: pound · vault · safe · bat · rash · tear · fine · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. tear — to rip
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fine — all right
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pound — a weight
  13. tear — from crying
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bat — for baseball

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