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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 · mark · stock · wound · arm · bulb · cap · wake

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wake — a trail
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — a hat
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — shares
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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