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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: fine · mug · face · tube · capital · cabinet · scale · rash

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to point toward
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. capital — a city
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — all right
  17. capital — money
  18. face — to confront
  19. mug — a face
  20. scale — size or range
  21. tube — a container
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — in music

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