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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 116 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: scale · rest · spell · vault · craft · mark · calf · fork

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. spell — magic
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rest — a break
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. scale — in music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a grade
  18. scale — size or range
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fork — in a road
  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