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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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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — happening now
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. current — electric
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. capital — a city
  8. cue — a signal
  9. current — of water
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — bread
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. capital — 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