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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.

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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: nail · capital · scale · suit · ground · current · lie · content

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ground — a position
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — in music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ground — crushed
  17. content — the amount
  18. lie — to recline
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — electric
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — to fit
  24. capital — money

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