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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: face · bore · charge · scale · fork · pitch · cue · capital

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pitch — completely
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. capital — a city
  10. charge — in control
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fork — in a road
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cue — for pool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. scale — in music
  21. face — to confront
  22. capital — money
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — to eat with

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