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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: suit · rash · mark · hide · stand · snap · capital · wave

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — hasty
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. capital — money
  10. mark — a trace
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. capital — a city
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — a series

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