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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: capital · branch · suit · shower · current · pitcher · dip · can

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. shower — rain
  5. capital — a city
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. can — a tin
  8. current — electric
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. capital — money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — to be able to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitcher — a jug

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