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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: scale · cabinet · stock · foot · band · charge · bulb · arm

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — a measure
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stock — goods
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. band — a ring
  13. stock — shares
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. scale — in music

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