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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: bear · capital · rash · track · tube · current · arm · fork

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. tube — a container
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fork — in a road
  11. capital — money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — happening now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — of water
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. capital — a city
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. track — a song
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. track — a path

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