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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 120 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: present · scale · net · pit · straw · rock · rash · capital

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — the time now
  5. scale — size or range
  6. capital — money
  7. present — there
  8. scale — in music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. net — for catching
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — a hole
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rock — music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rash — hasty
  19. capital — a city
  20. pit — in a race
  21. net — after costs
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. present — a gift
  24. rash — a series

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