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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: mark · mouse · ruler · perch · scale · ball · cold · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cold — an illness
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ball — a dance
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mark — a grade
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. scale — in music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cold — not warm

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