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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: land · scale · vault · fall · suit · spring · cap · safe

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. suit — in cards
  3. land — a country
  4. cap — of ice
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cap — a lid
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — the season
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spring — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — to come down
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. suit — to fit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. scale — in music
  22. land — ground
  23. spring — a coil
  24. scale — size or range

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