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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: toast · pass · bowl · march · rock · scale · capital · hide

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rock — a stone
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. capital — money
  15. march — the month
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. capital — a city
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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