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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: scale · spell · mate · bulb · chip · stem · wave · stick

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. spell — magic
  4. mate — a friend
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mate — a partner
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. scale — in music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mate — to breed
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. scale — size or range

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