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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: calf · current · fall · bulb · track · race · capital · fine

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — a city
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. race — humankind
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. capital — money
  15. fall — the season
  16. fine — all right
  17. race — the arms race
  18. track — a path
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bulb — for light
  22. current — electric
  23. race — a contest
  24. fall — to drop

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