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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.

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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
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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: pop · stock · scale · root · cap · leaves

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — goods
  7. root — of a word
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. root — the cause
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cap — a hat
  18. leaves — of a tree

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