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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: scale · trunk · stand · field · file · vault · racket · lash

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. vault — a safe
  7. field — for sport
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. field — farmland
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. file — a document
  20. field — a subject
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. file — a tool

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