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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: net · pit · wave · current · lash · drill · dip · capital

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. net — in sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. net — for catching
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. current — happening now
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pit — in a race
  10. dip — to sink
  11. drill — a practice
  12. capital — money
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. drill — the tool
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. drill — army training
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. capital — a city
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. net — after costs
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. capital — a big letter

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