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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: stem · current · fan · toast · ruler · pitch · rest · capital

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. current — of water
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — happening now
  11. capital — a city
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. capital — money
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rest — a break
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stem — to come from
  24. capital — a big letter

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