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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. club — for golf
  3. capital — money
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — electric
  8. mate — a partner
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. kick — in football
  14. current — happening now
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. club — a group
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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