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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: pitch · bank · bear · pop · capital · plane · ground · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ground — a position
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. plane — a tool
  10. capital — a city
  11. current — electric
  12. capital — money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — music
  22. current — of water
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pop — to visit

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