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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
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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 · wound · capital · chair · plane · bowl · rush · bound

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — electric
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. capital — a city
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. wound — an injury
  17. current — of water
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. current — happening now
  24. rush — a thrill

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