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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
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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: mug · trunk · capital · staff · bass · mark · scale · pitcher

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bass — low music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — to rob
  8. staff — employees
  9. capital — a city
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mug — a cup
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bass — the fish
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mug — a face
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. scale — size or range
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. trunk — of a car

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