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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 120 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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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 · swing · cell · leaves · vault · bound · fork · snap

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. bound — tied together
  7. swing — music
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. scale — in music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. swing — in golf
  14. scale — size or range
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cell — in biology
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bound — certain

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