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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: bank · capital · bore · lie · rush · stand · jam · stock

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stock — goods
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. capital — money
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rush — hurry
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lie — to recline

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