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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: capital · can · rest · file · bowl · scale · season · chair

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rest — what's left
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. season — in sport
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. file — a line of people
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rest — a break
  17. can — to be able to
  18. season — of the year
  19. scale — in music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. capital — a city

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