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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 116 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: capital · snap · bank · current · bowl · mark · stand · wake

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. current — electric
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wake — a trail
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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