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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · current · foot · capital · stand · object · content · kid

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. object — a thing
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. current — electric
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. capital — a city
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bass — low music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. stand — to bear
  20. current — happening now
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. current — of water
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. content — the amount

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