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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: stock · bulb · wave · scale · prune · stem · racket · lash

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. scale — in music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stock — goods
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — shares
  19. bulb — for light
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stem — of a plant

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