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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: pass · capital · safe · land · current · dip · court · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — happening now
  4. court — of law
  5. capital — money
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. capital — a city
  9. pop — soda
  10. land — to come down
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. pass — a permit
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. land — ground
  16. pop — music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. land — a country
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pop — to visit
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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