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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
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: ball · cabinet · capital · current · saw · kick · pass · foot

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. kick — in football
  3. current — of water
  4. capital — a city
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. current — electric
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. capital — money
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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