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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
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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: rush · bear · date · capital · sharp · spell · current · suit

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. capital — money
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. spell — a short time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — in cards
  14. current — happening now
  15. suit — clothes
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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