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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.

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: perch · fine · vault · craft · scale · roll · last · lash

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. last — final
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. craft — boats
  8. scale — size or range
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fine — all right
  11. scale — in music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. craft — a skill
  16. last — to go on
  17. roll — a cake
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. last — finally
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. roll — a list
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — for weighing

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