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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. capital — money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. kick — in football
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. current — happening now
  8. craft — boats
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a skill
  15. capital — a city
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. current — electric
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. suit — clothes
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. current — of water

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