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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.

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: capital · toast · pop · content · scale · rock · plane · pit

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — music
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. pop — soda
  7. capital — a city
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pop — to visit
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. content — happy
  14. plane — a tool
  15. scale — size or range
  16. content — the amount
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — music
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. capital — money
  22. pit — in a race
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. toast — the most admired

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