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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
468
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: march · toast · leaves · vault · hide · bulb · scale · degree

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. toast — bread
  5. degree — an amount
  6. march — the month
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. march — music
  10. degree — temperature
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. march — the month
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bulb — for light
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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