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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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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: bank · fan · scale · pass · vault · key · wake · kick

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bank — for money
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. vault — a safe
  9. key — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pass — a permit
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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