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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rest · current · mug · sharp · ruler · pitch · cue

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rest — a break
  3. capital — a city
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. current — of water
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mug — to rob
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. capital — money
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cue — for pool

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