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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · staff · stock · rock · arm · wave · can · cap

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. staff — employees
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. capital — a city
  8. stock — goods
  9. staff — a stick
  10. capital — money
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stock — shares
  16. can — a tin
  17. staff — employees
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rock — a stone
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stock — a soup base

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