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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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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: scale · capital · cabinet · chair · ruler · perch · bay · stick

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chair — a leader
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — a city
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. capital — money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — in music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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