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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: mug · scale · kick · can · cell · wound · vault · clip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wound — an injury
  5. clip — a video
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — a face
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. can — to be able to
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mug — to rob
  14. vault — a safe
  15. can — a tin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. clip — to cut
  18. kick — in football
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. clip — for paper
  23. can — a tin
  24. cell — a phone

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