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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.

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: bowl · hide · scale · capital · bank · board · mark · tube

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — size or range
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — a container
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. scale — in music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bank — of a river
  17. board — a committee
  18. bank — for money
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. capital — money
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. board — to get on
  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