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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fork — in a road
  4. capital — a city
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — of water
  7. capital — money
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ball — a dance
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rest — what's left
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rest — a break
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. suit — clothes
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cap — of ice

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