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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: capital · scale · fork · bass · key · fan

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. scale — in music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. capital — a city
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. key — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — low music
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bass — the fish
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — in a road
  18. key — for a lock

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