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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.

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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: hand · fine · scale · can · vault · squash · stand · cabinet

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fine — all right
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — help
  5. scale — in music
  6. squash — the sport
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stand — to bear
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. squash — to crush
  13. scale — size or range
  14. hand — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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