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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.

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: cell · fine · toast · capital · scale · track · bulb · craft

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. fine — all right
  6. capital — a city
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a song
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. scale — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. craft — boats
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. capital — money
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. toast — bread

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