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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · bay · firm · pitcher · current · kick · capital · plane

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. capital — money
  3. firm — a company
  4. capital — a city
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. current — of water
  7. firm — steady
  8. current — electric
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kick — in football
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. kick — a thrill

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