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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. cue — for pool
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a city
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cue — a hint
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — happening now
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cue — a signal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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