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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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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: scale · fall · perch · chest · bay · rule · stem · wake

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chest — a box
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chest — of your body
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — in music
  18. rule — government
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — to drop

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