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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: arm · scale · lash · vault · land · spell · net · bay

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. land — ground
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spell — a short time
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. land — to come down
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. land — a country
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. scale — for weighing

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