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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: suit · kid · lash · scale · bark · vault · fine · fan

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. scale — in music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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