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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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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: pass · pop · bowl · vault · sharp · rock · court · scale

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pop — to visit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pop — soda
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. court — for sport
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — of a king
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. scale — size or range
  20. court — of law
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. scale — in music

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