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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bass — low music
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. can — to be able to
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. current — electric
  15. squash — to crush
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. capital — a city
  20. bore — to drill
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bass — the fish

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