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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: mate · temple · stock · wake · scale · craft · bulb · deal

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wake — a trail
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mate — a friend
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mate — to breed

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