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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 120 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: ball · cap · mouse · mark · scale · tube · season · stem

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cap — of ice
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ball — a dance
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. season — of the year
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. scale — in music
  19. cap — a hat
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. tube — a container
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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