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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: march · arm · press · roll · can · stem · wave · scale

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. press — newspapers
  5. can — a tin
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. stem — to come from
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — size or range
  11. march — the month
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. press — to push
  14. roll — a cake
  15. march — music
  16. roll — a list
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. can — to be able to
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. scale — in music

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