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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: mate · capital · cap · arm · bay · scale · pass · mouse

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mate — a friend
  9. scale — in music
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mate — to breed
  16. capital — a city
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. capital — a big letter

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