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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: pop · lash · capital · spell · current · wave · bowl · fine

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. spell — magic
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. current — electric
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. current — happening now
  17. pop — music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. current — of water
  22. capital — money
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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