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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: scale · racket · ruler · spring · mine · vault · stand · board

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. vault — a safe
  3. board — a committee
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spring — the season
  7. scale — size or range
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. board — to get on
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. spring — a coil
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. spring — of water

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