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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: arm · scale · bat · pitcher · vault · staff · pound · bulb

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bulb — for light
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pound — a weight
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — in music
  24. bat — for baseball

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