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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 · stock · pass · current · fine · racket · bore · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. current — happening now
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — a permit
  8. current — of water
  9. present — the time now
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. capital — money
  18. stock — shares
  19. current — electric
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. capital — a city

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