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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bank — for money
  3. game — a match
  4. sharp — clever
  5. scale — in music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. staff — employees
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bank — for money
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — of a river
  19. staff — a stick
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fan — a supporter

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