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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: mark · stand · capital · rash · roll · stick · track · kid

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rash — a series
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a trace
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. roll — a list
  15. kid — child
  16. rash — hasty
  17. track — a song
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. track — a path
  24. capital — a city

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