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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · scale · lean · fine · vault · charge · cell · ball

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ball — a dance
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lean — thin
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. charge — electricity
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. scale — in music
  15. fork — in a road
  16. charge — a price
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cell — a phone
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ball — a great time
  24. charge — in control

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