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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: straw · safe · capital · scale · land · content · foot · fine

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. foot — a measure
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. capital — a city
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. capital — money
  10. content — the amount
  11. fine — all right
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. land — to come down
  15. content — happy
  16. land — a country
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. land — ground
  21. scale — size or range
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. safe — out of danger

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