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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 116 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: capital · leaves · scale · pitcher · march · field · lash · safe

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. scale — in music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. march — music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. march — the month
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. field — a subject
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. scale — size or range
  24. field — farmland

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