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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: hide · date · wake · stand · capital · nail · racket · mouse

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. capital — money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mouse — the animal

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