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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: wake · capital · key · content · suit · scale · bass · fork

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. key — in music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. suit — in cards
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fork — in a road
  15. key — for a lock
  16. capital — a city
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bass — the fish
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. scale — in music
  23. capital — money
  24. key — the most important part

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