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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: content · stem · lash · scale · wound · mark · charge · toast

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. scale — size or range
  3. toast — bread
  4. content — happy
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. charge — in control
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. charge — electricity
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. content — the amount
  20. mark — a grade
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. scale — in music

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