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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: current · pitcher · rock · land · can · cap · lean · firm

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. land — to come down
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. can — a tin
  8. rock — music
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lean — to bend
  11. land — a country
  12. cap — of ice
  13. land — ground
  14. current — happening now
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. firm — steady
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — to be able to
  21. firm — a company
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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