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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.

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: cabinet · track · cap · mate · mouse · scale · capital · bark

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mate — a friend
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — a song
  16. mate — a partner
  17. track — a path
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. capital — a city
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. scale — in music
  24. cap — a lid

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