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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.

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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: fork · capital · rush · pass · bay · key · cabinet · scale

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fork — in a road
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. capital — a city
  13. key — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. capital — money
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. scale — in music

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