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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 120 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
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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: current · pitch · fan · capital · lean · leaves · season · firm

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pitch — completely
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. season — in sport
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. capital — money
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. lean — thin
  19. capital — a city
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — of the year
  24. fan — a supporter

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