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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: bay · scale · stem · wave · ground · craft · pop · bank

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. scale — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ground — a position
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pop — music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bank — of a river

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