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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: scale · cabinet · rush · suit · lie · vault · wind · stock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — in music
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stock — shares
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stock — goods
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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