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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: sharp · kick · mark · pitcher · vault · cap · scale · rest

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rest — a break
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. rest — what's left
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — a trace
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — to pay attention

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