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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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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: bulb · plane · lean · vault · last · court · scale · swing

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. scale — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — size or range
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. last — final
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. court — of a king
  14. last — finally
  15. swing — to play on
  16. court — for sport
  17. lean — thin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. last — to go on
  20. lean — to bend
  21. vault — a safe
  22. swing — music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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