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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · ruler · spell · capital · rock · coach · current · rush

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. spell — letters
  3. firm — a company
  4. capital — a city
  5. firm — steady
  6. spell — a short time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. current — of water
  10. spell — magic
  11. capital — money
  12. rock — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. current — happening now
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — decided
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — electric
  24. coach — a trainer

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