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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 120 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: capital · band · pitch · plane · bear · rush · current · cabinet

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bear — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. pitch — completely
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. band — a music group
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — electric
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. capital — a city
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. band — a ring
  24. current — of water

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