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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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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: stem · season · lie · ball · craft · scale · lean · foot

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lie — to recline
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — in sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. craft — boats
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. season — of the year
  20. stem — to come from
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ball — a great time

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