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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
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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: branch · lash · scale · rule · perch · spell · cap · stock

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stock — goods
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cap — a hat
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cap — a lid
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rule — government
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — a law
  21. spell — letters
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. spell — magic
  24. perch — the fish

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