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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · stand · jam · bulb · nail · pit · scale · stem

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. scale — size or range
  6. face — to confront
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. face — part of the head

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