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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 116 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 · calf · tube · present · wake · current · fall · bay

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. present — the time now
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fall — the season
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — the underground
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. capital — money
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. present — there
  19. current — happening now
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. capital — a city
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — a container
  24. present — a gift

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