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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — in music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. capital — a city
  16. fine — all right
  17. scale — size or range
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. capital — money
  22. suit — clothes
  23. capital — a big letter
  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