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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: branch · kid · capital · toast · charge · ruler · scale · temple

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. scale — in music
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. charge — a price
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. capital — a city
  15. scale — size or range
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. capital — money
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — in control

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