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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
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: scale · mate · vault · sharp · bark · track · craft · rest

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. craft — a skill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. track — to keep track
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. scale — size or range
  11. track — a path
  12. scale — in music
  13. rest — a break
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mate — to breed
  17. track — a song
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mate — a partner
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. craft — boats
  23. scale — for weighing
  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