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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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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: scale · charge · race · bowl · capital · cue

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — for pool
  4. capital — money
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. scale — in music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. charge — in control
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. capital — a city
  15. race — a contest
  16. scale — size or range
  17. race — humankind
  18. cue — a hint

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