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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: leaves · roll · race · content · pitch · stem · present · scale

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. scale — size or range
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. scale — in music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. present — the time now
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. roll — a cake
  12. present — a gift
  13. race — a contest
  14. present — there
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pitch — completely
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. content — the amount
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. content — happy
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. roll — a list
  24. stem — a stem cell

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