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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: mouse · capital · content · scale · dip · temple · prune · can

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. can — to be able to
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. capital — a city
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. scale — size or range
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — the amount
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. scale — in music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. content — happy
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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