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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
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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: arm · stem · scale · field · cap · dip · wound · rest

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. field — a subject
  3. rest — a break
  4. scale — in music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. field — farmland
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — a hat
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. field — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stem — to come from
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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