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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: present · charge · vault · perch · track · arm · deal · scale

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. scale — in music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. perch — the fish
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. present — a gift
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — a price
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — in control
  16. track — to keep track
  17. charge — electricity
  18. scale — size or range
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. present — there
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a song
  23. vault — a safe
  24. scale — for weighing

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