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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: capital · racket · kid · ruler · rule · current · date · suit

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. current — of water
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. suit — to fit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. kid — child
  10. current — happening now
  11. kid — to tease
  12. capital — a city
  13. rule — government
  14. suit — clothes
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rule — a law
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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