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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: cap · capital · fan · rock · stock · wave · last · cue

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. last — to go on
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cue — a hint
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stock — shares
  16. cap — of ice
  17. last — final
  18. capital — money
  19. last — finally
  20. cap — a hat
  21. capital — a city
  22. stock — goods
  23. rock — music
  24. wave — of the sea

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