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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: fall · scale · nail · trunk · rock · bear · capital · hide

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. capital — a city
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. capital — money
  11. scale — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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