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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. content — the amount
  8. press — newspapers
  9. board — to get on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — size or range
  12. press — a publisher
  13. content — happy
  14. capital — money
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. press — to push
  22. board — a committee
  23. capital — a city
  24. racket — a loud noise

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