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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: scale · lie · mark · stock · arm · bay · ball · season

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stock — goods
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stock — shares
  12. lie — to recline
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. season — in sport
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. scale — in music
  22. season — of the year
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ball — a dance

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