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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 120 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: mate · current · suit · field · cabinet · trunk · racket · capital

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mate — to breed
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. capital — money
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. capital — a city
  18. field — a subject
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — to fit
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. current — electric
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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