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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: racket · stem · cabinet · bowl · current · scale · pop · stand

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pop — to visit
  5. current — of water
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pop — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. scale — size or range
  13. current — electric
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. scale — in music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. pop — soda
  21. stem — to come from
  22. current — happening now
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. scale — for weighing

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