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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: vault · toast · leaves · stick · scale · hide · present · bowl

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. scale — in music
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. present — there
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. present — a gift
  23. vault — a safe
  24. toast — bread

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