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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
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 · racket · stand · current · ruler · dip · safe · season

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. current — of water
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — happening now
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — electric
  10. capital — money
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. capital — a city
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. season — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. season — of the year
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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