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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: stand · file · scale · land · vault · game · calf · trunk

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. land — ground
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. land — a country
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. vault — a safe
  12. land — to come down
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. file — a tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. file — a document
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. file — a line of people
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. calf — of the leg

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