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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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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 · pound · stand · vault · stick · last · degree · cabinet

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. degree — an amount
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — a weight
  8. stand — to bear
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. degree — temperature
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. scale — size or range

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