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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. march — the month
  3. current — of water
  4. capital — money
  5. chest — a box
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. cue — for pool
  8. march — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. current — electric
  16. march — the month
  17. chest — of your body
  18. current — happening now
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — to fit
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cue — a signal
  23. capital — a city
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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