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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: wake · rash · stock · capital · bay · root · cap · safe

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rash — a series
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cap — a lid
  10. capital — money
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cap — a hat
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — shares
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stock — goods
  20. capital — a city
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cap — of ice
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — on the skin

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