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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: dip · capital · stick · current · safe · tube · cue · wind

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cue — a signal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. dip — to sink
  6. current — happening now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cue — for pool
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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