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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: fine · stock · land · can · scale · pass · deal · wound

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. can — a tin
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. land — ground
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stock — shares
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. land — to come down
  24. wound — an injury

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