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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · object · pitcher · content · trunk · deal · land · fork

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. content — the amount
  4. object — an aim
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. scale — size or range
  9. object — to protest
  10. land — to come down
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. land — ground
  15. content — happy
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fork — in a road
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. land — a country
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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