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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.

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: suit · stock · degree · cabinet · scale · current · capital · pitcher

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. suit — in cards
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. scale — size or range
  11. capital — a city
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. scale — in music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — money
  20. current — electric
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — goods
  23. degree — from a university
  24. cabinet — ministers

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