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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: coach · scale · pop · net · nail · tube · stem · jam

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. tube — the underground
  7. scale — in music
  8. pop — soda
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. scale — size or range
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pop — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. net — after costs
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. net — for catching
  20. pop — to visit
  21. net — in sport
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — a trainer

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