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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: board · foot · cap · scale · coach · spell · fall · stem

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spell — a short time
  4. scale — in music
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — magic
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cap — a hat
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — letters
  14. fall — to drop
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. board — a committee
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fall — the season
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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