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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: scale · fall · stem · trunk · branch · current · fine · ruler

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. current — happening now
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — electric
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — of water
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — all right
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fine — high quality
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fall — the season

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