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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: foot · wax · fall · lean · stock · key · stem · scale

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. scale — in music
  3. stock — goods
  4. wax — to grow
  5. key — in music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fall — to drop
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stock — shares
  18. key — for a lock
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lean — thin

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