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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 120 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 · bay · vault · bear · lean · craft · clip · pass

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. clip — a video
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — boats
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. clip — for paper
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — to put up with

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