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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 116 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: key · tube · content · staff · scale · suit · calf · capital

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — employees
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. staff — a stick
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. key — the most important part
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — in music
  12. content — happy
  13. scale — size or range
  14. capital — money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. scale — in music
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. content — the amount
  23. staff — employees
  24. capital — a city

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