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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: bulb · capital · toast · season · net · file · current · pound

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. season — of the year
  4. net — for catching
  5. season — in sport
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. current — happening now
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. current — electric
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. file — a tool
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. net — after costs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. current — of water
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. toast — bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. net — in sport

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