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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: cap · scale · tube · suit · mark · branch · snap · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. scale — size or range
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. tube — a container
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — a hat
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cap — of ice
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. scale — in music
  17. snap — to click
  18. cap — a lid
  19. content — the amount
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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