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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.

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

Word bank: mate · present · scale · capital · board · snap · firm · rule

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — a company
  7. mate — to breed
  8. snap — to click
  9. rule — government
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. present — a gift
  12. firm — decided
  13. present — there
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a friend
  16. rule — a law
  17. present — the time now
  18. firm — steady
  19. capital — a city
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mate — a partner
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. board — to get on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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