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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · spell · arm · toast · club · stock · nail · net

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. toast — bread
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. net — for catching
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. net — in sport
  7. club — a group
  8. net — after costs
  9. club — for golf
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — in music
  13. stock — goods
  14. spell — a short time
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — shares
  19. club — for dancing
  20. spell — letters
  21. scale — size or range
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — magic
  24. toast — the most admired

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