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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 · deal · object · capital · rock · cue · stand · wake

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. object — an aim
  3. capital — money
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. object — a thing
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. capital — a city
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. object — to protest
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wake — a trail
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rock — music
  24. stand — on your feet

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