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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: board · fork · bay · can · scale · stand · capital · race

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. scale — size or range
  3. race — the arms race
  4. can — a tin
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. capital — money
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. board — a committee
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. can — a tin
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — in a road
  18. scale — in music
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. race — a contest
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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