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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · vault · plane · spell · fan · stand · rock · face

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. face — to point toward
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spell — letters
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rock — music
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rock — a stone
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stand — to bear
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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