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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 · coach · current · pitcher · ruler · plane · prune

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. capital — a city
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — electric
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. prune — to trim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — a tool
  15. current — happening now
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. capital — money
  24. ruler — for measuring

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