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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stock — goods
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. deal — to handle
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stock — shares
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. can — to be able to
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stem — to come from
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. can — a tin

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