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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · stand · scale · spring · suit · fork · vault · wound

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spring — the season
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fork — in a road
  11. spell — letters
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. scale — in music
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. suit — clothes

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