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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 120 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: capital · scale · arm · fine · bore · cap · bank · fan

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. capital — a city
  4. bank — for money
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. capital — money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fan — a supporter

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