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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: cue · mouse · scale · mate · stock · bulb · fall · fan

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stock — goods
  4. scale — in music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cue — for pool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fan — to cool the air

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