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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 · scale · vault · deal · stock · key · branch · stem

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. scale — size or range
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stock — shares
  12. face — part of the head
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stock — goods
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — a stem cell

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