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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 · fork · stick · capital · mug · racket · board · dip

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. scale — size or range
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — a cup
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mug — to rob
  11. scale — in music
  12. fork — in a road
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mug — a face

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