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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.

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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: plane · scale · key · racket · capital · cabinet · coach · net

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — for catching
  3. key — in music
  4. scale — in music
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. net — in sport
  7. scale — size or range
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. capital — money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. plane — a tool
  20. capital — a city
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. key — for a lock
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. plane — in geometry

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