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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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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: vault · mark · court · lash · present · stand · scale · cap

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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. court — for sport
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mark — a grade
  6. court — of law
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — the time now
  14. stand — to bear
  15. court — of a king
  16. cap — a hat
  17. present — a gift
  18. cap — a lid
  19. present — there
  20. scale — in music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. vault — a safe

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