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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: stand · scale · mark · stock · wax · cue · roll · bore

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cue — a signal
  7. roll — a list
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stock — goods
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. scale — in music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stock — shares
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. roll — a cake

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