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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: scale · suit · foot · bank · mark · tube · capital · season

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. suit — in cards
  3. scale — in music
  4. tube — the underground
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. tube — a container
  9. suit — to fit
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — size or range
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — a city
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. capital — money
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bank — for money

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