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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
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: scale · can · file · capital · stick · mouse · bank · wave

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bank — of a river
  5. scale — in music
  6. bank — for money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. capital — a city
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. capital — money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. file — a line of people
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. can — a tin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — size or range
  23. file — a document
  24. capital — a big letter

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