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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: bay · squash · rush · current · capital · net · firm · bulb

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. net — in sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. firm — steady
  7. current — happening now
  8. net — after costs
  9. current — of water
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — electric
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. firm — decided
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a city
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. squash — the sport

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