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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. content — the amount
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. board — to get on
  5. capital — money
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — high quality
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. object — a thing
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fine — all right
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. content — happy
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wax — to grow

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