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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: cell · scale · swing · roll · stem · leaves · cap · foot

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. cell — a phone
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. roll — a cake
  12. foot — a measure
  13. swing — music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stem — to come from
  16. swing — to play on
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. swing — in golf
  23. roll — a list
  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