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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: capital · can · coach · racket · deal · scale · craft · jam

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. capital — a city
  8. scale — size or range
  9. craft — a skill
  10. can — to be able to
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — boats
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. scale — in music
  22. can — a tin
  23. capital — money
  24. racket — for tennis

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