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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: ruler · current · suit · ball · bore · mark · staff · capital

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to drill
  12. staff — employees
  13. capital — a city
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. staff — employees
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. capital — money
  24. ball — a dance

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