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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · rush · cap · scale · stock · rash · season · wake

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rash — a series
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cap — of ice
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. stock — shares
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cap — a lid

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