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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: rock · scale · lean · racket · stock · cap · ball · bank

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cap — a hat
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bank — for money
  10. cap — a lid
  11. stock — goods
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rock — music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. lean — thin
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lean — to bend

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