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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 · bark · track · current · firm · cue · plane · capital

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — a city
  3. plane — a tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — of water
  7. firm — steady
  8. capital — money
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. track — a path
  11. bark — to shout
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — a company
  16. cue — for pool
  17. current — happening now
  18. cue — a signal
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. track — a song
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. current — electric
  24. cue — a hint

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