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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: sharp · ground · scale · fan · stem · bear · foot · fork

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stem — to come from
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ground — the earth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ground — a position
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ground — crushed
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fan — a supporter

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