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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: fine · bowl · bay · foot · can · stem · scale · track

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stem — to come from
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fine — all right
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a path
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. track — a song
  24. bowl — to roll

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