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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fall · track · toast · can · patient · scale · stock · vault

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fall — the season
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — a tin
  9. toast — bread
  10. track — a path
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fall — to drop
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. can — to be able to
  22. track — a song
  23. vault — a safe
  24. scale — in music

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