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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 120 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: bowl · cap · stem · cell · sharp · ruler · track · scale

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — in biology
  8. scale — in music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a path
  13. cap — of ice
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — a song
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bowl — a football final

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