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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: prune · current · ground · coach · lash · stand · dip · capital

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. current — of water
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. capital — money
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. current — happening now
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ground — a position
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ground — crushed
  22. prune — to trim
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. current — electric

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