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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. capital — a city
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. net — in sport
  16. capital — money
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pound — a weight
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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